<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Why Don't You Join Me? by mylilbirbs</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29757903">Why Don't You Join Me?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mylilbirbs/pseuds/mylilbirbs'>mylilbirbs</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Families of Choice, Fluff, Found Family, Friendship, Gen, Light Angst, Original Pokemon Region, Pokemon Gym Leaders, Pokemon Journey, Slice of Life, no fakemon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 23:28:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,614</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29757903</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mylilbirbs/pseuds/mylilbirbs</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Explore the Euda region with Kaipo, his pokemon partner and all the friends they make on their journey. </p><p>or</p><p>A slice of life fic exploring what its like being a kid on your pokemon journey. Character and world building focused.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Why Don't You Join Me?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I hope you enjoy this first chapter!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Euda wasn’t a well known region, in fact to many who don’t live there it wasn’t even considered one.However, despite whatever the rest of the world thought didn’t matter to the people of Euda, they were a region in their own right with their own gym challenge and league  to prove it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The region itself was large, but with a population of about three million there weren’t as many people living there as other regions, there were more pokemon than humans and large towns that had gyms weren’t close to one another making a Euda gym challenge take longer than other regions might. But the longer journey was fine, as the people of Euda were known to be lifelong travelers, a pokemon journey being a must for every person to go on eventually. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And Kaipo was starting his today. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He had waited so long to get his starter and begin his journey, most kids started around his age but being among the youngest of his grade he had only turned 14 last week. He knew he could </span>
  <em>
    <span>technically </span>
  </em>
  <span>get a pokemon at ten, but both his dad and Prof. Laurel forbid it. And besides he was told that Prof. Laurel had the strongest starters ever this year! Kaipo smiled thinking about the rumors he heard as he got closer to the lab, so yeah he was so glad he waited.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kaipo! There you are! We’ve been waiting for you, come on in kiddo” The professor opened the door and called him in. Kaipo smiled rushing in the lab behind her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I heard so much about the starters this year ma’am!” He exclaimed, he still tried to be polite but it was hard when he was so excited. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She smiled warmly at him, walking over to a table with three pokeballs placed on it. He took a shaky breath, this moment was just like everyone described, he couldn’t believe it was finally happening. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now,” Prof. Laurel’s voice cut through his thoughts “While many of the kids in your grade are older and were able to get most of the ‘good’ pokemon before you, I made sure to save a few I think you might like” She explained, “So go ahead and take a look at who we have this year” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kaipo nodded and considered which pokemon to look at first. A big part of why he and many others loved Euda was their unique starters that new trainers could get from a professor. While other regions had three starters that were their specific region’s starters, a fire, water and grass type that never changed. Euda didn’t have a set starters. Professors were just tasked to get and give out good ‘beginner’ pokemon to new trainers. Many professors took this responsibility very seriously and each year new trainers had no clue what to expect when they went to get their first pokemon. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go ahead” Prof. Laurel reassured. He nodded, taking a nervous step forward, he took the left pokeball and pressed the button. The pokeball opened and with a flash a ralts came out and was standing on the table. His eyes widened, he’s never seen a ralts in real life. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Remember, you still have two more to look at” Prof Laurel said</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ri-right!” He nodded, prying his eyes away from the ralts he focused on the next two pokeballs. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The next one was an azurill! He sucked in a breath, he already liked them both so much! But he needed to see the final pokemon before he could think too much about the impossible decision. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Just like the two before he released the final pokemon out of its pokeball. Big yellow eyes met his, the second they got out the shinx jumped into his arms almost knocking him over as he struggled to catch them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Prof. Laurel laughed “Well it seems like someone else already made up their mind” She smiled “They seem to really like you, but Kaipo the decision is still ultimately yours.” she reminded.. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looked at Azurill, Ralts and Shinx, all were great pokemon. He knew whoever he picked, his journey would be great. He felt something soft tap his cheek, Shinx had pat him with their paw and was blinking up at him. He sighed, he couldn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>pick them. He had met many pokemon in his life, begging his dad to adopt each and every one but he’d never been the one to be chosen by a pokemon. He was told that was how the strongest bonds started.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m picking you buddy” He looked down at Shinx, “shii!” Shinx put their paws on his shoulders and Kaipo pulled the pokemon into a gentle hug. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you think you’ll name them?” Prof. Laurel asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kaipo thought for a moment “You want a name?” he asked and Shinx purred in response. “Hmm ok what about Zaps? No that’s dumb.. Uh Sol?  You like Sol?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In response Shinx tapped him on the face with a paw again “Inx!” “That’s a yes right?” He wondered, somehow Shinx looked at him like he was stupid and the Professor smiled “Yes, I think so Kaipo” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He smiled “Ok! Nice to meet you Sol!” Sol rubbed their face against his cheek purring and he scratched between their ears. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, you’re all set” The professor said, “Just take this and go see your dad before you leave ok?” She handed him a box which he slipped into his bag. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course! I think he’d kill me if he didn’t get to meet Sol” He joked even though his dad would be more pissed that he left without saying goodbye. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He and Sol said their goodbyes to the professor and the other pokemon and went on their way to Kaipo’s house. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sol liked to be carried, Kaipo figured out really quickly. Which wouldn’t be much of a problem except Sol was a shinx, they were about 20 pounds and Kaipo wasn’t particularly strong, he guessed he’d have to start working out but that realization didn’t make the walk any easier. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kaipo struggled his way to his house, he heard his dad call his name and looked up to see him waving to him in the doorway. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sol leaped out of his arms and ran over to his dad and rubbed against his legs. His dad laughed “So I see you picked a shinx huh?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kaipo nodded “Yeah! Well they picked me I guess, named them Sol. We just wanted to say bye before we got going” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His dad hummed “You know that the closet gym is in Havenford right? That’s pretty far.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know! That's why we're leaving now. We need to get through the woods before it starts getting cold” he explained, Sol had walked back to his side. “And there's plenty of towns in between here and there too” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His dad frowned “You sure you wanna go </span>
  <em>
    <span>now</span>
  </em>
  <span>? I mean you could train here with Sol for a bit and-” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dad.” He smiled “I’ll be fine” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He sighed “I know.. Just be safe, kay? Love you kiddo”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Love you too” As he hugged his dad Sol pawed at his heels, “yeah we’re going now” he told the shinx, Sol purred and leaped into his arms. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And remember to call!” His dad shouted as he walked away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I will!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The walk from his town to the next one would only take about a day or two, Kaipo figured. He had brought generic pokemon food, potions, water, and some food for himself for this first trip. It’d be enough for a bit but they'd have to stock up when they reached the town. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They had been walking for about ten minutes before Kaipo paused “Wait,”  he said, stopping on the trail. “Let's see what the professor gave us,” he remembered the box given to him at the lab. Sol jumped on the ground, he placed his bag down and pulled the box out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After pulling through the tape and opening the box up he saw five pokeballs and what looked like a.. wait..A pokedex!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He put the free pokeballs in his bag and turned on the dex, “let’s test this thing out Sol!” Sol tilted their head, a little confused by the device, but they liked their new partner and padded up to sit next to him. Kaipo pointed the dex at Sol and the dex beeped as it scanned them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shinx, The Flash Pokemon.” The dex said in a robotic voice “This Pokémon generates electricity by contracting its muscles. Shinx sends signals to others of its kind by shaking the tip of its tail while the tail tip is shining brightly.” The dex read out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Woah! You’re so cool Sol!” Kaipo exclaimed, skimming over the other lengthy paragraphs about shinx. But Sol jumped into his lap and started pawing at the dex. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kaipo laughed, “ok! I get it, I’ll pay attention to you” He slipped the dex into his bag and scratched under the shinx’s chin.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He had a pokedex and pokeballs now! Maybe he could even catch another pokemon before the Havenford gym. He slipped his bag back on his shoulders, and looked down at Sol. “I can’t carry you</span>
  <em>
    <span> all </span>
  </em>
  <span>the time buddy” Sol just tilted their head and gave him the sweetest kitten eyes Kaipo had ever seen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He sighed picking Sol up who snuggled close to his chest. “Ok.. Just for now though, got it? You gotta walk eventually” He said knowing full well that he’d be carrying them everywhere. But looking down at his partner, and feeling the shinx’s soft purrs against him as he walked, he knew it would be worth it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He could really get used to this. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>--------------------</span>
</p><p><span></span>  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Please comment and let me know what you think! Next time Sol and Kaipo will make a new friend so stay tuned!</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>